Best Places to Visit in Peru, South America
Best Places to Visit in Peru, South America
Peru is a destination that begs to be explored. In this vast and storied land, ancient, colonial, and modern traditions meld together for an unforgettable cultural experience. No matter the type of traveler—history buff, adventurer, or foodie—Peru offers a myriad of activities to satisfy every appetite. It’s no surprise that its ancient sites, beautiful topography, and diverse ecosystem attract visitors from all over the world, making it one of the most popular destinations in South America. Let’s explore one of the most coveted destinations in all of South America comes complete with breathtaking fortresses built by the Incas, soaring cloud forests, the snow-topped Andes, the dusty Atacama and the misty Amazon rainforest alike.
1.Machu Picchu
2.Lima
3.Cusco
4.Sacred Valley
5.Chan Chan
6.Nazca Lines
7.The Amazon
8. Huaraz
9.Arequipa
10.Trujillo
15 Things to do in Cusco Travel Guide
Many travelers to Cusco use the city as a launching pad to hike the Inca trail, visit Machu Picchu and/or explore the Sacred Valley. With so many travel options just outside of the city it is easy to forget that Cuzco has a lot to offer in and of itself. The following Cusco travel guide is our attempt to showcase what the city has to offer in terms of attractions, things to do, shopping, dining, museums and nightlife. In our opinion, you'll want to budget several days to take it all in and acclimatize to the higher altitude if you're thinking of going on hiking excursions afterwards.
Our visit Cusco travel guide covers some of the top attractions including the best in arts, entertainment, museums, nightlife and restaurants. We also cover off-the-beaten-path activities that you won't find in your typical tourism brochure or Cusco city guide.
1) Cusco Cathedral (Viracocha) - Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin (Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus)
2) Inca Wall
3) Traditional Peruvian Folk Dance at Centro Qosqo
4) Barrio de San Blas Neighborhood
5) Artisan Market on Ave del Sol
6) Cusco Food (Alpaca meat skewers - alpaca a la parrilla
7) Pisco Museum (Museo del Pisco)
8) Plaza de Armas (Square of the warrior)
9) Inca Museum (Museo Inka)
10) Chocolate Museum (ChocoMuseo)
11) Temple of the Sun (Qurikancha)
12) Templo de la Compañía de Jesús (Jesuit Church)
13) Cuy - eating Guinea pig for dinner
14) El Templo de la Merced del Cusco
15) Nightlife in Cusco - drinking a pisco sour
Alternate Cuzco/Cusco spelling: (Quechua: Qusqu or Qosqo)
15 Things to do in Cusco, Peru | Top Attractions Travel Guide:
If you're planning to walk the Inca Trail or visit Machu Picchu, you'll likely end up spending at least a few days in Cuzco. With it's lively square, quirky museums, artisans markets and traditional performances, this is exactly the type of destination you'll want to linger in...plus let's not forget, it's also a good place to adjust to the altitude! The following video will showcase 15 things to do in Cuzco:
Cuzco Cathedral is a place you shouldn't miss. The cathedral sits on the site of Viracocha Inca’s palace, and it was also built using blocks from the nearby Inca site of Sacsaywamán. Inside you'll find impressive works of art done in the cuzqueña style.
In the evenings, you can go watch a traditional dance performance at Centro Qosqo.
San Blas
San Blas is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Cuzco and it is a great area to explore on foot. The neighbourhood is known for its bright blue doors and window shutters, and it has a nice little square with a church and a water fountain. The neighbourhood has some really cool lookout points with great panoramic views of Cuzco, so you'll want to bring your camera.
Plaza de Armas is the beating heart of Cuzco. The square is flanked by a Jesuit church and cathedral, and there are also plenty of bars, restaurants, and tour agencies around the perimeter. During the day you'll find locals and tourists hanging out in the square, and if you get lucky, you might just encounter a performance followed by a demonstration like we did.
The Inca Museum is one of the main museums in town and it has rooms dedicated to different periods of Inca and Spanish history. You can also see women weaving rugs and tapestries by hand in the central courtyard.
Qurikancha was an Inca temple built to the Sun God, Inti, and it is believed that the walls of this temple were once covered in sheets of gold. If the temple looks like it has various layers of construction, that's because when the Spaniards arrived, they demolished the original temple and used the foundations to build the Church of Santo Domingo on the site.
The Church of the Society of Jesus is a historic Jesuit church. It's worth a quick visit if you're in the area.
Templo de la Merced is another church located one block from Plaza de Armas, and it contains the tomb of two famous conquistadors.
And that's a wrap for Cuzco! We hope you enjoyed this video and that it showed you a few of the places you can visit while you're in the city. We recommend spending at least 3 days here, or perhaps a few more if you also want to tour the Sacred Valley. As always, if you have any other suggestions of things to do in Cuzco, feel free to share those in the comments below.
This is part of our Travel in Peru series. We're making a series of videos showcasing Peruvian culture, Peruvian arts, Peruvian foods, Peruvian religion, Peruvian cuisine and Peruvian people. All things Peruano. The best of Comida Peruana and Cocina Peruana.
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All photos and video taken by Samuel Jeffery (Nomadic Samuel) and Audrey Bergner (That Backpacker).
Music in this video courtesy of Audio Network
VISIT THE 5 BEST PLACES OF THE SACRED VALLEY IN A SINGLE DAY 2018
The sacred valley tour is one of the very famous tour that is realized in the region of Cusco, the sacred valley is the place that we will see Inca citadels like Ollantaytambo, Chinchero and Pisaq whit the same. function as the citadel of Machupicchu, the sacred valley was very important in the Inca times, for The great quality of the corn and its varities.
The sacred valley tour, Moray and salt mines is one of the unforgettable tours before the visit of one of the 7 wonders of the world MACHUPICCHU.
places to visit:
. Chinchero.
. Moray.
. salt mines.
. Ollantaytambo.
. Pisaq.
Make this fantastic one-day tour with:
THE SACRED VALLEY WITH MARAS MORAY AND THE SALT MINES:
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Top Things To Do in Cusco, Peru
Plan your visit to Cusco, Peru, with this selection of the top things to do.
Discover Cusco, Peru—one of the most beautiful cities in South America. As the former capital of the ancient Incan empire, Cusco is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is full of history, culture, bustling markets, and amazing food. In and around Cusco, you’ll find many Incan Ruins such as Sacsayhuaman, Qenko, Pucapucara, Ollantaytambo—and the most famous one of all: Machu Picchu, a can’t-miss destination located just a few of hours away.
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Best tourist attractions in Peru - Cusco - Pisac
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Top Things To Do in Peru
Peru is packed full of culture and adventure and these are some of the top things to do.
Located on the west coast of South America, Peru is a beautiful country full of things to do—whether you’re looking for history, culture, food, or adventure. Some of our favorite activities in and around Lima, the capital, include exploring ancient Incan ruins, sandboarding in the Ica desert, and flying over the puzzling Nazca Lines. And of course, no trip to Peru is complete without a visit to Cusco and nearby Machu Picchu, one of the wonders of the world. Plan your trip, immerse yourself in Peru’s rich culture and history, and be sure to make time to sample the delicious national cocktail, the Pisco sour.
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Our team of travel insiders is obsessed with finding the best things to do everywhere we travel.
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Tokyo -
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10 Peru Attractions For Tourists
10 Peru Atracctions For Tourists
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Peru is a country rich in cultural anthropology, and is known as the cradle of the Inca Empire with a capital of Machu Picchu. But Machu Picchu is not the only place that can be visited in Peru. This video show some of the best tourist attractions in Peru:
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00:00:48 Machu Picchu
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Peru Travel Guide
Peru – a land of extremes and intrigue – principally known for being home to the most important archaeological site in all of the Americas, offers in reality so much more. Its landscapes range from high Andean peaks, to sultry Amazon rainforests, from high altitude deserts and wild windswept coasts. Of course its great to travel with the Incas from Cusco to the awe-inspiring Machu Picchu, but its also possible to get off the beaten track, to explore remote ruins of the cloud warriors in the north, or afro-Peruvian beats along the pacific coast. Most of all it’s a diverse country that offers something for everyone. But for many, a trip to Peru will begin in Cusco.
As the ancient Inca capital, and the political power base in colonial times, Cusco has its fair share of sites. Sitting in a narrow valley surrounded by pine-covered hills, it’s a stunning place with enough cathedrals, churches, museums, galleries, cafes and shops to keep the modern traveller entertained for a week. Of course with one of the world’s foremost tourist attractions lying just up the road, most of the time Cusco is busy with locals and travellers alike, but don’t let that put you off; like many other similar locations, Cusco is popular for a reason… it’s simply a beautiful place to hang out.
As the traditional thoroughfare between Cusco and Machu Picchu, the lush agricultural Sacred Valley is littered with impressive Inca ruins. Probably the most famous are the sites of Pisac – where the famous terraces rise over a thousand feet from the valley floor to the mountaintop – and at Ullataytambo. Here again the site overs a great insight into the life of the Inca nation and some great views of the Sacred Valley. There are also some pretty towns and villages to explore; you can hike, horse ride, mountain bike or even paraglide; and you can stay in some pretty special accommodation.
But of course most people travelling this way have one goal in mind, and that’s to reach the ancient Inca citadel of Machu Pichu. There are many ways to get to the sacred Inca site: you can trek along the Inca Trail, or walk staying at beautiful mountain lodges, or you can horse ride, pretty much all the way there. Wild Frontiers offers a horse riding trip through the region.
There are plenty of trains to take you to Machu Picchu, but this is the most special. The Hiram Bingham service, operated by the Belmond Orient Express, offers a great way to climb through the Andean foothills to Machu Picchu, presenting great views – either from your seat of the observation car – delicious dining and champagne! Alighting at Aguas Calientes, buses then take us the last part of the journey to the actual site itself.
Although the exact purpose and function of Machu Picchu is still a matter of conjecture, there’s no denying that for the Incas this awe-inspiring ancient city must have been a very important ceremonial site. The quality of the buildings, of the intricate terracing, and the lofty position of the citadel itself, all point towards a hugely important cultural centre. Interestingly, it was never revealed to the Spanish invaders, and was only discovered in the early 20th century when American historian, Hiram Bingham, chanced upon it while searching for the lost city of Vilcabamba. Today it undoubtedly forms the highlight for most peoples’ trips to Peru.
For many that is tourism in Peru; but not for us at Wild Frontiers. For us this vast country offers much more. For a start there is the beautiful Lake Titicaca to check out, a giant inland sea, peppered by idyllic rural islands. (Use images from Bolivia) There is the picturesque town of Araquipa, back-dropped by the stunning El Misti volcano, and access point to the spectacular Colca Canyon, where you are pretty much guaranteed to see the mighty Andean condor fly. There are the quite extraordinary Nazca lines to fly above and Peru is one of the best places to visit the Amazon rainforest, where you are likely to stumble upon all manner of exotic animals. And in the country’s rarely visited northern highlands were we run one of our most successful group tours to visit, among other places, the fortress of Kuelap, and the home of the ancient cloud warriors of Chachopyas, and the newly discovered Gocta Falls.
And lastly of course there are the Peruvians themselves, whose colourful culture dates back into the mists of time, and who are as hospitable and friendly as any on the continent.
(245 or 246) For most tourism to Peru will revolve around three places, Cusco, the Sacred Valley and here at Macchu Pichu. But my advice is to remember, as amazing as those places are there’s a lot more travelling in Peru than just that. Come and see for yourself.
TRIP TO CUSCO PERU - TOP THINGS TO SEE - VLOG
Cusco is the historic capital of the Inca Empire. In 1983, Cusco was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site and has become a major tourist destination, attracting over 2 million visitors per year. In this vlog, we cover the Incan archaeological sights and the Spanish Colonial historic sights.
Our Peru Tour:
We travel from Lima to Cusco with Latin Escapes Tours. Cusco has a high altitude of about 11,000 feet. The first day we rested and sipped the local remedy, coca tea to adjust to Cusco's high altitude.
Our city tour of the Inca Royal City of Cusco starts in the very impressionable Central Square, known as the Plaza de Armas, which is surrounded by a beautiful stone arcade. Plaza de Armas is also the city's center point for activity, including performances, music, and fútbol parades.
In the Plaza is the Cathedral, which is exceptional because of its contrasts of styles. The first cathedral built in Cusco is the Iglesia del Triunfo, built in 1539 and the basilica was constructed using the stone extracted from the blocks of Incan fortress Saksaywaman.
The Church of the Society of Jesus, (commonly known as the Jesuits), was constructed in 1576 and its main altar is made of carved wood covered with gold leaf.
The Covent of Santo Domingo was built above the most important Inca Temple, the Temple of the Sun, or Koricancha, as it was known in the Inca language Quechua. Gold laminas or sheets covered the original Inca Temple walls.
Near the City of Cusco, you will visit the extraordinary Inca Fortress Sacsayhuaman, made up of three gigantic terraces, superimposed in a zigzag form, and surrounded by enormous walls of rock, some of which are up to 300 meters in length.
Qenqo, was a religious center formed by a singular flowering of calcareous rock. It has underground galleries and a semicircular amphitheater with a series of stone seats.
Puca Pucará or the Red Fort was military base made up of stone stairways, terraces, and walls. Nearby is Tambomachay, well known as Baths of the Incas, a place dedicated to the cult of the water, formed by aqueducts, channels and small cascades worked in the rock.
We visit Museo de Arte Precolombino which has an impressive collection of indigenous crafts, jewelry, and ceramics drawn from all regions of pre-Columbian Peru.
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Hikes & Things to do in Cusco, Peru (incl. Machu Picchu, Lares Trek, Rainbow Mt, Humantay…)
I show you some of the best things to do in Cusco and the Cusco region with its many Inca sites and beautiful multi day treks in this episode from Peru in partnership with G Adventures.
➸ My Peru Guide:
➸ Lares Trek with G Adventures:
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To produce this video I spent almost 2 weeks in the Cusco region in order to provide a wide selection of activities I recommend doing on your trip to Peru. Because it was my second time after my first visit in 2012 I chose to introduce an alternative Machu Picchu experience with the Lares Trek - for this part I worked together with G Adventures and decided to extend my stay to do all the other things independently.
Cusco and the area around is full of history and beautiful landscape which makes it worth it to spend about 1-2 weeks in the region. For your time you should definitely take on some day hikes or go for one of the multi day hikes which end up taking you to Machu Picchu. What many don’t know: a multi day hike to go to Machu Picchu is the most budget friendly option if you look at the price-value ratio!
The things to do in Cusco I covered here is a selection of my personal favorites and offers a good mix of historic sites, hikes (partially in very high altitude), food experiences and panoramic views which will leave you speechless. Moreover I also focussed on some community projects which are connected to G Adventures and their NGO Planeterra.
Things to do in Cusco featured in this episode:
- Old town of Cusco / Cuzco
- Saksaywaman / Sacsayhuaman
- La Cusquenita (restaurant)
- Barrio San Blas
- Barrio Ceviche (restaurant)
- San Pedro market
- Jack’s Cafe (restaurant)
- Rainbow mountain / Vinicunca
- Sacred Valley (part of G Adventures Lares Trek tour)
- Pisaq
- Ollantaytambo
- Parwa restaurant
- Lares trek
- train to Aguas Calientes
- Machu Picchu
- Humantay lake (first day of Salkantay trek)
About my Cooperation with G Adventures
For many years I was searching for a suitable partner who offers tours in South America which align with my style of traveling as well as my values. After many meetings I’m glad I found this partner with G Adventures who offer many adventurous tour packages for travelers like me…but who also care about the environment and local communities in order to execute sustainable tourism. I forced this cooperation because I like the products and the philosophy of the company. Nevertheless all opinions, recommendations and views are my own.
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